Marlins May Face Wrath of the Players Union If They Don't Up Payroll

Locals aren't the only ones pissed over the Marlins' most recent fire sale. The MLB players union is also keeping a close eye on the team's roster, and apparently has promised to take action if the Marlins don't do anything about it soon.

Well, lo and behold, MLB.com is out with a story today in which Marlins brass paint the trades as a brilliant way to strengthen their farm system.

"We don't have to wait until next October to pursue it," the source said. If the Marlins don't raise payroll in 2013, former commissioner Fay Vincent expects "the commissioner and union will strongly encourage Loria to spend some money. They can make it very uncomfortable if he doesn't."

Though, the MLBPA had forced the Marlin's into a deal into 2010 in which the team agreed to raise their payroll each year for three years, the team apparently thinks they can get away without doing so. The team says they lost $40 million last year, and because of their PR debacle, they expect to bring in less revenue this year. Apparently they're not stupid enough to think that attendance will do anything but plummet further after selling all their best players but Giancarlo Stanton this offseason.

Interestingly however, the team now seems to be pushing the narrative that their firesale actually puts them in a plum position for future growth.

"Those trades we made at the Major League level have really boosted our depth throughout the organization," Marlins vice president of player development Marty Scott told MLB.com . "It's helped our pitching and our position players. It continues to give us more depth. We do not have a need to rush everybody."

The idea, in the best case scenario anyway, is that over the next few years the team will develop talent in their minor league affiliates that will one day make a big splash when they're ready for the major leagues.